Container implement for end loader vehicle

ABSTRACT

A CONTAINER IMPLEMENT FOR ATTACHMENT TO A FRONT END LOADER WHICH INCLUDES A MOUNTING YOKE WITH A PAIR OF RIGID ARMS TO PIVOTALLY CONNECT TO A FRONT END LOADER AND A BUCKET CONNECTED TO THE MOUNTING YOKE FOR HAULING MATERIALS AND DISCHARGE OF THE SAME THROUGH A SHOOT OPENING AT THE LOWER END. THE DISCHARGE OPENING IS ADAPTED TO BE OPENED AND CLOSED BY A HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED SLIDE PANEL TYPE DOOR. THE REAR WALL OF THE BUCKET CONVERGES TOWARD THE FRONT WALL AT ABOUT THE DISCHARGE OPENING SO THAT THE WEIGHT OF MATERIAL CARRIED IN THE BUCKET HAS A CENTER OF GRAVITY CLOSELY ADJACENT THE VEHICLE TO RESIST THE MOMENT TENDING TO LIFT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE VEHICLE TO WHICH THE IMPLEMENT IS ATTACHED.

June 27, 1972 F, E, NEUzlL, SR. 3,672,724

CONTAINER IMPLEMENT FOR END LOADER VEHICLE i 84 44 56 4 5" INVENTOR.

Fmg/vals E. NEUZ/L .SK J/f. JBY 46 2r..

y L/W a'y /26 /75 i ,qrroRA/EX June 27, 1972 F. E, NEUzlL., sR 3,672,724

CONTAINER IMPLEMENT FOR END LOADER VEHICLE Filed March 1, 1971 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. .52 F/UC/S E. AJEUZ/L 5F.

. j' BY @Trek/UEX United States Patent Office 3,672,724 Patented June27, 1972 ILS. Cl. 298-27 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A containerimplement for attachment to a front end loader which includes a mountingyoke with a pair of rigid arms to pivotally connect to a front endloader and a bucket rigidly connected to the mounting yoke for haulingmaterials and discharge of the same through a shoot opening at the lowerend. The discharge opening is adapted to be opened and closed by ahydraulically operated slide panel type door. The rear Wall of thebucket converges toward the front wall at about the discharge opening sothat the weight of materials carried in the bucket has a center ofgravity closely adjacent the vehicle to resist the moment tending tolift the opposite end of the vehicle to which the implement is attached.

This invention relates to an improved container implement composed of arigidly interconnected mounting yoke and -bucket for attachment to anend loader, such as a frontend loader vehicle. It is structured to carrymaterials such that the center of gravity of the materials is arrangedin close adjacent relation to the front end of the vehicle, to resist aturning or tilting moment tending to lift the rear or opposite end ofthe vehicle.

At many job sites, it is often necessary to carry materials such astrash, sand, cement or the like from one location to a relatively closelocation for discharge. Quite often expensive labor is required to carrysmall loads repeatedly or intermittently. This invention provides aninexpensive container implement attachment for front end loaders whichis adapted to carry such material from one location to another and tocarry a substantial load.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved containerimplement for attachment to lift arms of an end loader vehicle whichincludes a bucket with side walls shaped to define a chamber to carrymaterials so that the center of gravity of the materials in the chamberis in close adjacent relation to the end of the vehicle frame to reduceforces tending to lift the other end of the vehicle, and which includesa discharge opening with a door adapted to be opened and closed byhydraulic means, the container being adapted to be swingably moved byswing arms when attached on the vehicle from a lower position forloading to an elevated position for unloading.

It is a general object of this invention to provide an improvedcontainer implement which includes a bucket for transporting materials,said bucket including an upper rim portion circumposed about the chargeopening for the materials which rim converges inwardly to resistslopping of materials over the sides of the container in transit and apiston means to operate the door closing the discharge opening to moveit from an open to a closed position.

While other objects will become apparent hereinafter in view of theaccompanying drawings and the following description, and the objectsaforestated are not intended to be limiting for this reason, it is ageneral object of this invention to provide an improved containerimplement for end loaders, which is characterized by a rigid- 1yconnected mounting yoke and a bucket, the mounting yoke containing meansfor pivotal connection of the implement to lift arms of the loader andfor pivotal adjustment of the container into a range of positions oforientation when the lift arms are operated to raise and lower thecontainer, the improved container implement being simple inconstruction, inexpensive to manufacture, and well adapted for thepurposes expressed herein.

In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparenthereinafter, this invention will be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the end loader vehicle with the improvedcontainer implement mounted thereto and illustrating in chain-dot linesthe operation of the device;

FIG. 2 is a partial rear view of the device shown in FIG. 1 illustratingthe rear of the container implement;

FIG. 3 is a partial view illustrating the front of the containerimplement;

FIG. 4 is a view in cross section taken on the plane indicated by theline 4 4 of FIG.` 3; and

FIG. 5 is a view in cross section taken on the plane indicated by theline 5-5 in FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designatelike or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shownin FIG. 1, an end loader which is generally designated by the numeral12. It is characterized by a center of gravity such that the rear endzone portion 14 is heavy relative to the front end zone 16; it may beprovided with an attachment and counterweight generally designated bythe numeral 18 to increase the load at the rear portion. Generally, itis seen that when in a normal unloaded condition, the heavier rearportion 14 will cause the rear wheels 20 to remain on the ground, butthat when an implement is attached and placed under a load at the frontend, this will cause a moment tending to lift the heavy rear end aboutthe axis 22 of the front wheels 24 and against the heavily loaded rear.The present invention, as will be described comprises a containerimplement preferably for front end attachment. The implement providesstructure to minimize this rear end lifting moment.

Referring further to the loader, as is conventional, it includes a seatfor the driver and controls generally designated by the numerals 26, 2-8and 30 for driving the vehicle and for operating lift arms and otherhydraulic attachments of the vehicle, chiefly for the purpose ofmanipulating and orienting an implement through hydraulic leads. In thevehicle designated by the numeral 12, it is seen that it is providedwith lift arm means comprising a pair of arms 32 and 34 pivotallyconnected to a rigid extension of the frame of the vehicle such as thatdesignated by the numeral 36, the pivotal connections being indicated bythe numerals 38 and 39.

Each of the lift arms includes an upper arm portion 40 and 42 generallyextending longitudinally of the vehicle and lower arm portions `44 and46 which generally extend from a rigid elbow 48 and 50 downwardly to aterminal end portion 52 and 54. The arms of the pair are adapted to bemoved pivotally and synchronously about their .respective pivots 38 and39 between an elevated position shown in chain-dot lines in FIG. 1,which is usually for unloading purposes with this invention, and alowered position :shown in FIG. l, which is usually for loading. It willbe seen that a line or Iaxis through the terminal end portions 52 and 54of the arms is closely adjacent the end of the vehicle frame. This lineis also closely adjacent the front axle 22 of the vehicle to reduce, asmuch as practical, the moment tending to lift the rear of the vehiclewhen a loaded implement is attached to the terminal end portions of thearms; i.e., caused in a clockwise lift of the rear end, as seen in FIG.1.

Means are provided to swing the lift arms about the axis through thepivots 38 and 39. The means are composed of piston type synchronouslyoperable `rams 56 and 58, which are pivotally connected at theirrespective proximal ends to the vehicle, as at 60, which 1s m spacedrelation from the pivots 38 and 39. The extending or distal ends of therams are pivotally connected respectively to their associated lift arms32 or 34. The p1votal connection of the rams to the lift arms is inspaced relation from the pivots 38 and 39 and preferably at about theelbow region, which, as shown, may comprlse a plate attached at thejuncture of the upper and lower portions of the lift arms.

The distal or tonal end portions of each of the lift arms is adapted forpivotal connection to an implement, through terminal end means includingthrough holes which are aligned with one another and deiine an axis ofan implement attached to the arms. Preferably at the elbow region andspaced from the axis detined by the aforesaid holes, pivot means areprovided defining a lateral axis therethrough, the pivot means beingdesignated by the numerals 62 and 64. From each pivot a piston 66 or 68extends for pivotal connection to an implement connected to the terminalend of the lift arms. These pistons which comprise means to swing animplement are for adjusting the orientation of an implement relative tothe lift arms, especially when the arms are swingably raised or lowered.As is conventional, the vehicle or tractor is provided with hydrauliclead lines to supply controlled fluid ow to manipulate implementsconnected to the vehicle and which are controlled by the control meanson the vehicle which, in the preferred embodiment are eective topivotally swing the lift arms about the pivots 38 and 39, to selectivelyoperate the means to swing the implement through a range of orientationpositions relative to the swing arms and to control flow through thelead lines to manipulate portions of any implement connected to thevehicle.

Referring now to the container implement, which is designated by thenumeral 70, it is seen in FIG. 1 that it includes a container 72 and amounting yoke 74. The mounting yoke and the container are rigidlyconnected to one another as indicated in FIG. 4, for instance at 76 and718 by welding, and by bracers, seen in FIG. 2 and designated by thenumerals 80# and 82 and 84 and 86. The container includes a front wall88 opposing side walls 90 and 92 and a rear wall 94. Preferably, thefront wall extends vertically upwardly from a connection with thecentral portion of the yoke, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The rear wall 94includes a portion 96 which converges or slants toward the front walland terminates at a lower discharge opening 98. The rear wall mayinclude an upper portion 100 which extends vertically above theconverging portion 96 and in a preferred embodiment is provided with aninwardly converging rim portion 102. In similar manner, the side wallsmay be provided with lower converging portions `104 and 106 and upperportions 108 and 110` with a rim 112 and 114 mating and correspondingwith the rim 102 of the rear wall. The rim defines, together with theupper marginal edge 116 of the front wall a charge opening 118 for thereceipt of materials to be transferred from one location to another.

The mounting yoke includes a lateral member 120 and a pair of rigid arms122 and 124 which extend in a common rearward direction. The distal endsof these rigid arms are provided with pivot pin means, seen in FIG. anddesignated by the numerals 126 and -128 which are adapted to be receivedin the aligned holes of the terminal end means of the lift arms forpivotal movement of the container implement. The bucket assembly of thecon tainer and yoke is pivotally connected to the extendingI end of thepiston rams through pivot pin means, preferably carried by the yoke anddesignated by the numerals 130 and 132 in FIG. 5. It is thus seen thatwhen the lift arms are swingably moved, the pistons may be adapted toorient the bucket assembly into a generally vertical attitude, that iswith the charge opening 118 above the discharge opening 98 by swingingmovement of the implement about the axis through the pivots 126 and 128,and as indicated generally in FIG. 1.

A door 138 is provided to open and close the discharge opening 98.`Guide means, preferably in the form of opposing rails or tracks, 140and 142, secured to the converging portion of the rear wall limit thedoor which is preferably a slide panel type door to movement oftranslation between a door open and a door closed position and in aplane generally parallel to the adjacent portion of the plane of therear Wall. Means are also provided t0 open and close this door, themeans of the preferred embodiment comprising a hydraulically operatedpiston 146 which is secured at one end to a mounting plate 148i` on therear portion and at the other end to a connector means 150 on the door.The piston 146 includes an adapter 152 to receive the hydraulic leadlines from the vehicle when it is mounted to it.

In operation, the vehicle is most often loaded when the arms are in alowered position. It is seen that by reason of the structure describedhereinbefore the center of gravity of the load is arranged close to theaxis 22 through the front wheels and opposite to the heavier rear end ofthe vehicle. The vehicle is then driven to the location where it will beunloaded, for instance onto a truck. To do this, the arms are raisedwhile the orientation of the container implement into a generallyvertical attitude is maintained. After being elevated, the door isopened whereupon the materials will pass through the opening -generallytending to be thrust by reason of the converging rear wall outwardly andthrough the discharge opening and into the loading bed of the truck. Intransit, the rim restricts slopping of the materials over the side ofthe container. After unloading, the arms are lowered and the vehicle isagain loaded at a loading station or location.

In a preferred embodiment, the height of the container overall may beapproximately 50 inches, the distance between the side walls may extendto 28 inches, and the distance between the front and rear walls may beabout 32 inches. The radius at the corners of the bucket should bepreferably about l inch so that concrete carried in the container doesnot readily set within but Hows relatively freely. In the preferredembodiment, the side walls are of one piece construction and welded atthe interface. The interior walls of the container are smooth and thezones at the margins of the walls are smooth so as not to restrict flowthrough the interior of the bucket. Also, in the preferred embodiment,the discharge opening includes a throat section which includes adownwardly extending neck portion on the rear wall as at 162 and on theside walls as indicated by the numeral 164 in FIG. 4.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved bucket implement to carry material, said implement beingadapted for attachment to an end loader vehicle which is characterizedby a predetermined center of gravity with a first relatively heavy endzone on one side of the center of gravity and a second relatively lightend zone on the other side of the center of gravity, which includes:

(a) main lift arm means pivotally connected to the vehicle for swingingmovement about a rst lateral axis, the arm means having terminal endmeans for pivotal attachment defining a second lateral axis and toconnect to an implement for swinging of the irnplement about the secondlateral axis and means to pivotally move the lift arm means through aswing arc about the first lateral axis to raise and lower the terminalend means, the arm means being of a longitudinal dimension suicient toextend outboard in close adjacent relation to the second end of thevehicle,

(b) pivot means dening a third lateral axis on the lift arm means spacedfrom the terminal end means, and means to swing an implement connectedto the terminal end means about the second lateral axis through a rangeof orientation positions relative to the arm means when the arm meansare swingably raised or lowered, said means to swing comprising anextendible means connected to the pivot means,

(c) a hydraulic lead line means to supply controlled iluid flow tomanipulate an implement when connected to the arm means and to the meansto swing; and

(d) control means on the vehicle to (1) selectively operate the means topivotally move the lift arm means, (2) to selectively operate the meansto swing the implement, and (3) to control ow to the hydraulic lead linemeans;

said improved bucket implement for materials, comprismg:

a bucket assembly including:

(A) a mounting yoke having a laterally extending member and a pair ofrigid arms extending in a common direction from said lateral member,

(B) first pivot pin means characterized by a lateral axis to connect theyoke to the terminal end means of the arm means for swinging movement ofsaid yoke with said lift arm means, and

(C) a bucket secured to said yoke and disposed between said rigid arm,said bucket having front, rear and opposing side walls with a chargeopening at one end for loading material therein, and a discharge openingat the other end,

(D) said rear wall having a portion converging toward said front walland terminating at said discharge opening, said discharge opening beingadjacent the front wall;

(E) a door normally in closing relation of said disharge opening;

(F) guide means on the bucket to guide movement of the door between adoor open and door closed position;

(G) means to open and close said door and interconnecting said bucketand said door, and including a portion adapted to connect to thehydraulic lead line means; and

(H) second pivot pin means on the yoke spaced from the distal end zonesof said yoke to connect to the extendible means,

(I) the interior of said bucket being adapted to receive a charge ofmaterials so that the center of gravity of the charge is carried inclose adjacent relation to the second end of the vehicle.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the door comprises a slidepanel sized to close said discharge opening, said door having opposedmarginal edges extending between said front and rear walls when inclosing relation of said opening and wherein said guide means comprisesopposing tracks carried by the rear wall to constrain the slide panel tomovement of translation into and out of closing relation of thedischarge opening.

3. The device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the means to open andclose said door comprises a hydraulically operable piston.

4. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a portion of said sidewalls converges toward the opposing side wall terminating at saiddischarge opening.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein brace means are providedrigidly connecting said rigid arms of said mounting yoke to said bucket.

6. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rear wall includes aportion intermediate the charge opening and the converging portion whichextends generally in a common direction relative to said front wall.

7. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bucket is providedwith a converging rim portion circumposed about the charge opening torestrict slopping of materials over the sides of the container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,810,605 10/ 1957 Anderson298-27 3,065,556 1l/1962 Kampert 214-145 X 3,208,610 9/ 1965 Logus214-146 RX PHILIP ARNOLD, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

